Mechanism for handling sheet metal



W. G. WEHR MECHANISM FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL June 24, 1930.

Filed March 17,1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1930. w. G. WEHR I1,767,268

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL Filed March 17, 1 2 SheetsShee't 2 \fA \7 g Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM G.WEEK, OF EAST OLEVELANR'OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND CRANE &ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF WICKLIFFE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO MECHANISMFOR HANDLING SHEET METAL Application filed March 17,

This invention-relates to a mechanism for handling sheet material as,for example, sheet metal.

An object of the invention is to provide -a mechanism for handling sheetmaterial, such as sheet metal, that will not squeeze the sheets so as tobulge them or mar their edges.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism that will be locked in anyof its adjusted positions against movement except such as is produced bythe actuating means. Another object is to provide a mechanism of thisnature that will engage the sheets along substantially the entire lengthof the opposite edges thereof.

Another object is to provide a mechanism that is compact, thuspermitting the piles of the sheets to be closely positioned and toextend to a considerable height because of the low head room requiredfor the manipulation of the device.

Another object is to provide a sheet handling mechanism that iseconomical to manu facture and operate, effects a material saving oftime and labor in its operation, and comprises in its assembly arelatively few number of parts of simple design.

Other objects and advantages will becomeapparent as the descriptionproceeds. I

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Fig. 1 is a top plan view, the dotted lines indicatinganother position of the parts;

Fig. 2 shows the actuating motor in side elevation, and the gearing,clutch, drive shaft,

driven screws, together with the connections between the shaft andscrews, in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism, the location of thegripping angles in the fully closed position being indicated in dottedlines so as to illustrate diagrammatically the wide range in sheet sizeswhich may be taken care of by a single device; and

' cylindrical rods, although supporting members of other configurationmight also be used.

'16. These bearings have at their opposite 1928. Serial No. 262,505.

Fig. 4: is a vertical section on line 4-4 of. Fig.1, aportion of thegear casing being broken away to disclose the roller clutch.

The embodiment illustrated discloses a power driven grab'adapted tohandle approximately a ton of sheet metal and to pile it for storage andthe like. Of course, the size of the mechanism maybe varied so as toadapt it to handle different amounts of metal.

A motor base 10 is fixedly mounted upon two parallel supporting members11 and 12. Preferably the motor base is arranged midway of the ends ofthe parallel members and these last named members take the form of- Adriving motor 13 is mounted upon the upper side ofthe motor base 10 anda suspension yoke 14 connected to the base extends above the motor. Thissuspension yoke is for the purpose of suspending the mechanism from asuitable hoisting device, such as a mono-rail carrier.

Slidably mounted upon the supporting members 11 and 12 are doublebearings 15 and ends tubular portions adapted to fit over and slide onthe supporting members, such portions being connected by a web portionwhich has a threaded bore centrally arranged therein. Extending inopposite directions from the motor are aligned screw shafts l7 and 18which pass through the threaded bores in the double bearings 15 and 16,respectively. The outer ends of these screw' shafts are rotatablyjournalled in members 19 connectingthe adjacent ends of the supportingmembers 11 and 12. The inner ends of the screws 17 and 18 areoperatively connected to a drive shaft 19. by means of any preferredconnection as, for example, a thimble 20 and pins 21. The drive shaft 19is j ournalled in suitable bearings beneath the motor in the lower partof the motor base. This shaft is adaptedto be driven by the motorthrough the intermediary of a train of spur gears 22, such gears beingarran ed in a gear casing 23, the lowerpart of which forms a housing forthe clutch mechmost gear 22 is counterbored so that a flanged member 28may be arranged between it and the shaft 19. This flanged member isretatably fixed to the shaft while the lowermost gear is mounted forfloating movement upon the member. The upper periphery of the flange ofthe member 28 is provided with spaced notches 29 one of the sides ofwhich extends radially inwardly while the other is normal to the firstside. Rollers 30 are interposed between the periphery of the flange ofthe member 28 and the counterbore of the lowermost gear 22 within thenotches 29.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that movement of thelowermost gear 22 in one direction will cause the rollers 30 to rideinto the deepest portion of the slots 29 in which position there will beno driving connection between the said gear and the member 28. However,when this movement of the gear is taking place the friction disc 26 willbe held in close engagement with a side face of the gear b means of thespring 27. Hence, a frictiona drive will be effected between the gearand the shaft 19. In turn this drive will rotate the screw shafts 17 and18 in one direction.

It is quite clear that as soon as a slight overload is placed upon theshafts 17 and 18 that their movement will be deeelerated or stoppedbecause of a slippage between the friction disc and the gear. Thepurpose of this slippage will be referred to hereinafter.

Operation of the gear 22 in the opposite direction will cause therollers 30 to ride outwardly in the slots 29 and to be wedged betweenthe member 28 and the inner portion of the counter-bore in the gear 22.This last described relationship effects a positive driving connectionbetween the lowermost gear 22 and the member 28, and in turn a positivedriving connection between the motor and the shaft 19 for one directionof movement.

It will now be seen that operation of the motor 13 will cause the screwshafts 17 and 18 to rotate which, since such shafts pass through thethreaded bores in the double bearings 15 and 16, will cause these lastnamed elements to have a sliding movement A pair of oppositely extendingarms 31 and t 32 are pivotally connected to each of the double bearingsby means of pivot pins 33 fixedly secured to the arms. These pivot pins.33'are provided adjacent their upper ends with segment gears 34, fromwhich 1t will be seen that as the screw shafts 17 and 18 movethe-bearings 15 'and 16 inwardly and outwardly that the inner ends ofthe arms31 and 32 will have a similar movement, provided theirouter endsare fixed. Also, because the interenga ing segment gears are mountedoncach o? the pins 33, the-arms of each pair will have coordinated andcorrelated movement.

The arms 31 and 32, as shown, comprise channel bars, the web portion 35of which is cut away at opposite ends of the member for the purpose ofallowing clearance for other of the working parts of the mechanism.

- of substantial length.

In order to further provide for correlated movement of the arms 31 and32, and to assure the parallel movement of the gripping members 37 and38, the connected pairs of such arms are operatively joined by an arm 39extending diagonally of the mechanism and connected to the post 36 bymeans of links 40 and 41. This diagonal arm is also pivotal- 1yconnected at 42 to the underside of the motor base 10. The operation ofthe mechanism is as follows:

A travelling hoistof the desired form is connected to the suspensionyoke 14 and the mechanism is moved to position adjacent the sheets ofmaterial to be lifted. The motor 13 is then set in operation in theproper direction according to whether or not it is necessary to move theangle members 37 and 38 inwardly or outward y in order to accommo-- datethe sheets. \Vhen such arms have been moved to the proper position andthe mechanism lmvered over the sheets, it will be seen that thehorizontal part of the angle arms may be engaged beneath thelowermostsheet of the number of sheets to be lifted in a singleoperation. After such engagement the operating motor is again set intooperation and the arms 37 and 38 brought toward each other so as toengage the underside and edges of the pipe of sheets. However, sincemovell'ltllt in this direction is brought about by the frictional engaement between the lowermost gear 22 and the friction disc26, it will beseen that as soon as the members 37 and 38 have engaged the edges of thesheets a slippage will occur in the clutch mechanism and thus avoidundue buckling of the sheets. After the sheets of material "have beenmoved to the desired position by the travelling hoist, the arms 37 and38 may be moved away and the positive roller clutch.

32 have correlated movement because of the engaging gear segments 34.Thiscoaction is further increased and assured because of the with,frictional drive for one direction of i diagonal arm 39 which likewiseregulates.

movement of the gripping members 37 and 38. As the double bearings 15and 16- travel inwardly and outwardly on the screw shafts 17 and 18, itwill be seen that the arm 39 is swung about its pivot 42 and forces thelinks 41 and 40 to assume the different positions indicated in Fig. 1.Since all of the arms and the links are connected to the angular members37 and 38 through the posts 36, it is quite clear that movement of suchangular members will be uniform and parallel. The double bearings 15 and16 having a threaded engagement with the screw shafts are locked inadjusted position and can only be moved therefrom through theactuationof the screw shafts by the motor.

\Vhile the form illustrated and described is the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the invention is not to be understood as so limited sinceit contemplates such modifications and adaptations as fall. within thescope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my-iinv ntiom what.

I claim is: 1. A mechanism for handling sheet material comprisingmembers ada ted to grip and lift the sheets, and means or relativelymoving said members, said means operating relative movement of the saidmembers and a positive drive for the other direction.-

.2. A mechanism for handling sheet material comprising opposed membershaving substantial length adapted to grip and lift the sheets, and meansfor relatively moving said members, said means operating with africtional drive for one direction of relative movement of the saidmembers and a positivedrive for the other direction.

3. A mechanism for handling sheet material comprising members adapted togrip and support the sheets, means for movin said members toward andaway from eac other, and means for equalizing such movement of themembers, said first named means operating with a frictional drive forone direction of movement of the said members and substantial lengthadapted to grip and support the sheets, means for moving said memberstoward and away from each other, and

operatively connecting said members at a plurality of points to a commonoperator, and

means for actuating said common operator with a frictional drive toeffect relative movement of said members in one direction and with apositive drive to effect such movement in the reverse direction.

6.A mechanism for handling sheet ma terial comprising opposed relativelymovable members adapted to grip and support the sheets, a plurality ofarms pivot-ally connected to said members for moving the same,

movable means to which said arms are pivotally connected in pairs, onearm of each pair being attached to-one of said members and the other tothe other member, means for moving said movable means, and means foreffecting an operative connection between said last named means and adriving motor including a frictional clutch and a positive clutchfunctioning for reverse movements of the moving means.

'7. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a supportingmember, a driving member arranged upon said supporting member, slidablemeans arranged on said supporting member adjacent opposite ends thereof,gripping members, correlated means attached to said gripping members andsaid slidable members, and means intermediate said slidable members andsaid driving member for positively moving said gripping members in onedirection and frictionallymoving the same in the opposite direction.

8. In a mechanism' for handlingv sheets of material, a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged on said supporting member, anactuating member also arranged on said Supporting member, meansoperatively connected with said sleeves and said actuating member tofrictionally move the sleeves in one direction and positively in thereverse direction, oppositely extending arms pivotally connected to eachof said sleeves, and gripping members pivotally connectedto the outerends of said arms. v

9. A mechanism for handling sheets of material, comprising a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged upon said member, actuating means forsaid sleeves arranged upon said member, means for effecting an operativeconnection between said actuating means and said sleeves so as to drivethe lat: ter frictionally in one direction and positively in another,oppositely extending arms members adapted to grip and support thesheets, a plurality of arms pivotally connected to said members formoving the same, movable means to which said arms are pivotallyconnected in pairs, one arm of each pair being attached to one of saidmembers and the other to the other of said members, means for movingsaid movable means, and means for effecting an operative connectionbetween said last named means and a driving motor.

11. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a' supportingmember, slidable means arranged on said supporting member adjacentopposite ends thereof, grippin members, correlated means attached togripping members and said slidable members, a driving means arranged onsaid supporting member, and means intermediate said slidable members andsaid driving means for effecting an operating connection therebetween.

12. In a mechanism for handling sheets of material, a supporting member,slidable .sleeves arranged on said supporting member,

an actuating member also arranged on said supporting member, meansoperatively connected with said sleeves and said actuating member tomove the sleeves toward and away from each other on the supportingmember, oppsitely extending arms pivotally .connected to each of saidsleeves, and gripping members pivotally connected to the outer ends ofsaid arms.

13. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged on said member, actuating means forsaid sleeves arranged upon said member, means for effecting an operativeconnection between said actuating means and said sleeves to move thelatter toward and away from each other on the supporting member,oppositel extending arms pivotally connected to one of said sleeves,gripping and supporting members pivotally connected to the outer ends ofeach of said arms, and means for causing the oppositely extending armsto have related movement.

14. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged on said member, actuating means forsaid sleeves arranged upon said member, means for effecting an operativeconnection between "said actuating means and said sleeves to move thelatter toward and away from each other on the suporting member, 0positelv extending arms pivotallyconnecte to each of said sleeves,

sheet gri ping and lifting members pivotally connected to the outer endsof each of said arms, means for causin the oppositelyextending arms tohave re ated movement, and means maintaining thesheet gripping andlifting members in parallel relationship.

15. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a pair ofelongated members, means for moving said members toward and away fromeach other,-and means for equalizing the rate of movement of saidmembers.

16. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a pair ofparallel elongated members, means for moving said members in the sameplanetoward and from each other, means for e ualizing the rate ofmovement, of said mem ers, and means for maintaining the same inparallel relation s n 1 7. A mechanism for handling sheets of materialcomprising a air of parallel elongated members, means or moving saidmembers toward each other with a frictional drive and away from eachother with a positive drive, and means for equalizing such movements ofsaid members and for maintaining the samein parallel relationship 18. Amechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged on said member, actuating means forsaid sleeves arranged on said member, means for c fecting an operativeconnection between said actuating means and said sleeves to move thelatter toward and away from each other on the supporting member,oppositely extending arms pivotally connected to each of said sleeves soas to provide a pair of outwardly extending arms on each, side of saidsupporting member, a work engaging member pivotally connected to theouter end of each arm of each pair of outwardly extending arms, meansfor causing the oppositely extending arms to have related movement,andmeans for maintaining the work engaging members in parallelrelationship.

19. A mechanism for handling sheets of material comprising a supportingmember, slidable sleeves arranged on said member, actuating means forsaid sleeves arranged upon said member, means for effecting an operativeconnection between said actuating means and said sleeves to move thelatter toward and away-from each other on the supporting member,opposite extending arms pivota 1y connected to eac of said sleeves,whereby a pair of arms extends outwardly from each side of the supportinmember, gear segments associated with the inner ends of the armsconnected to each sleeve whereby such arms have related movement, workengaging members pivotally connected to the outer ends of the arms ofeach outwardly extendingpair of arms, and a member pivotally associatedwith said support and having pivotal connection at one end with theouter end of an arm extending in one direction from one of the sleevesand at its other end with the outer end of an arm extending in the0pposite direction from the other of said sleeves whereby the workengaging members will be maintained in parallel relationship.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

\VILLIAM G. WEHR.

